Written Answers

Tuesday 5 December 2000

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it is attaching to training in developing its Strategy for Scottish Agriculture.

Ross Finnie: Training is regarded as an important issue in the development of the Strategy for Scottish Agriculture. The importance of training, and other related issues such as the development of business skills, better use of technology, communication and the transmission of best practice, has been highlighted by a number of organisations and individuals who have contributed to the Agriculture Strategy work. This will be reflected in the final strategy document due for publication early next year. The strategy will also take account of the outcome of the review of training in the major land-based sectors in Scotland which is currently under way.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many EU regulations affecting Scottish agriculture have been implemented since May 1999; what these regulations were, and whether it will detail any which have been implemented differently in Scotland to other European countries and specify the differences.

Ross Finnie: Since May 1999, over 50 EU Regulations, Directives and Decisions which directly affect agriculture have been implemented. Details of these are publicly available in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

  Most of these instruments require equal application by all member states, while others contain optional elements which we have used in ways which best suit the needs of Scottish farmers. A full comparison of differences between implementation in Scotland and other member states and their devolved administrations could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any implications for (a) agriculture and (b) the environment of the report by the Better Regulation Taskforce and, if so, whether it will provide details.

Ross Finnie: The Better Regulation Taskforce report Environmental Regulations and Farmers relates to England and Wales only. However, the Scottish Executive is evaluating the report’s recommendations to see whether they may be adapted to benefit Scotland.

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review all EC regulations implemented since May 1999 and their effect on agriculture and to review the procedures on how such regulations are implemented in the future.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has no plans to review such regulations but remains closely in touch with the industry to identify any problems which may arise.

  For the future, we will continue to consult the industry on the implementation of significant new regulations. The recommendations of the Red Tape Review report, designed to reduce burdens on farmers, are also being actively pursued - with a number already implemented. The Red Tape Review Panel also concluded that the UK does not, in general, apply regulations any more strictly than other member states. In addition, we will be studying the recently published Better Regulation Task Force report Environmental Regulations and Farmers relating to England, to see whether its recommendations may be adapted to benefit Scottish farmers.

Broadcasting

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to make representations to the Independent Television Commission regarding ITV’s plans for Scottish regional news slots following the rearrangement of the schedules.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has no plans to make representations to the ITC on this subject.

Central Heating

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis is of its estimate that 70,000 pensioners will benefit from its proposed central heating scheme.

Jackie Baillie: The scheme will give central heating to pensioner households that do not have it: we estimate that 70,000 pensioner households meet this criterion.

Charity Shops

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to establish a central registry of charity shops.

Mr Jim Wallace: An independent Commission to review and reform charity law in Scotland was established on 29 March and is due to report back to me by Easter 2001. The commission recently issued a consultation document and I understand that some respondents to this exercise have raised the issue of charity shops.

  I will consider the recommendations of the commission in due course once they have completed their report.

Elderly People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9571 by Iain Gray of 18 September, whether it will monitor the provision of day care centres in each local authority as part of its commitment to keeping older people within their own homes and in their communities for as long as possible.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive Social Work Statistics Division carries out a full census of day care centres in local authority, private and voluntary sectors to monitor provision and usage of day care services across Scotland. The next census is to be carried out in March 2001.

  In addition, the Scottish Executive will monitor the quality of day care centres through the new Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care. From 2002, the commission will have responsibility for regulation and inspection of day and home care in each local authority area.

Enterprise

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Scottish Enterprise national budget, expressed in monetary, percentage and per capita terms, was allocated to each local enterprise company in (a) the current financial year and (b) each of the last three financial years.

Ms Wendy Alexander: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the Chairman to reply to the member. A copy of the reply will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to deal with any increase in the incidence of tuberculosis amongst elderly people.

Susan Deacon: There has been no significant increase in recent years in the numbers of new tuberculosis infections notified by doctors, among the population generally or among the elderly. Revised comprehensive guidelines on the prevention, surveillance, diagnosis and management of tuberculosis were issued to health boards and NHS Trusts in October 1998.

Justice

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8538 by Mr Jim Wallace on 28 July 2000, what the outcome was of its discussions with the Home Office regarding the measures needed to ensure the effectiveness of the Football (Disorder) Act 2000 and whether it is taking any action to monitor whether known hooligans are attempting to use Scottish airports to bypass this legislation.

Mr Jim Wallace: The legislation as enacted reflected our discussions with Home Office Ministers. Any football hooligans from England who breach banning orders or reporting restrictions against them by seeking to use Scottish ports would be subject to arrest. The police in Scotland could detain them under the cross-border provisions under which English arrest warrants are recognised in Scotland.

Ministerial Correspondence

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning will reply to my letter of 5 August 2000 regarding my constituent Mr P Waggett.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I regret the delay in responding   to the member for Banff and Buchan. A full response was issued on 25 October 2000.

Ministerial Correspondence

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Health and Community Care will reply to my letter of 26 October 2000 regarding the provision of residential care for the elderly in the Scottish Borders.

Malcolm Chisholm: A reply was issued on 1 December 2000.

Oil Industry

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government with regard to the impact which any windfall tax on oil companies would have on the North Sea oil sector and the Scottish economy generally.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Discussions with the UK Government take place on a wide range of subjects including the North Sea oil sector.

Prison Service

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any system within the prison service which monitors educational and employment qualifications gained by inmates.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  A system has been developed to record the number of Scottish Qualifications Authority courses to be completed by prisoners. No system exists to record employment qualifications.

Rail Network

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what directions or advice it has given or intends to give to the Rail Regulator regarding Railtrack’s intention to sell off land.

Sarah Boyack: The sale of land by Railtrack is currently a commercial matter for the company. I understand that the Rail Regulator has suggested a new licence condition which would require Railtrack to develop and maintain a register of key assets. If implemented, Railtrack’s disposal of land would then be subject to agreement by the Rail Regulator. The Scottish Executive has no statutory authority to issue directions or advice to the Office of the Rail Regulator, which is a Non-Ministerial Government Department reporting directly to the Secretary of State.

Roads

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a commitment to proceeding with construction work on the M77 between Malletsheugh and Fenwick regardless of the outcome of the public inquiry into the Glasgow South Orbital Route.

Sarah Boyack: In November 1999, following the Strategic Roads Review, I announced in the document Scheme Decisions that the improvement of the M77 between Fenwick and Malletsheugh would proceed to construction.

Rural Affairs

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the Scottish agricultural and biological research institutes have achieved Investors in People (IiP) status or other similar awards and which are expected to achieve IiP by the end of December 2000.

Rhona Brankin: Of the five Scottish Agricultural and Biological Research Institutes (SABRIs), the Moredun Research Institute, near Penicuik, achieved Investors in People (IiP) status in 1999 and the Rowett Research Institute, based in Aberdeen, is on track to receive it before the end of December 2000.

  The remaining three SABRIs: the Hannah Research Institute (Ayr), the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (Aberdeen) and the Scottish Crop Research Institute (Dundee) are working towards IiP recognition in 2001.

Rural Development

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Ministerial Committee on Rural Development has met, when it will next meet and what steps have been taken to communicate information on its activities to the Parliament.

Ross Finnie: The Ministerial Committee on Rural Development has met eight times since its first meeting in September 1999. The next meeting is scheduled for 30 January 2001. I announced the formation of the committee to the Parliament on 22 June 1999 and reported progress during the parliamentary launch of Rural Scotland: a New Approach on 25 May 2000. My appearances before the Rural Affairs Committee have provided further opportunities to discuss some of the key rural issues which have been priorities for the committee.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why Miller Civil Engineering are continuing to collect tolls on the Skye Bridge, given that they are effectively dormant for the purposes of VAT.

Sarah Boyack: Miller Civil Engineering Limited do not collect tolls on the Skye Bridge. The right to collect tolls has been assigned to Skye Bridge Limited, while the operation and maintenance of the bridge is carried out on SBL’s behalf by the joint venture Miller Dywidag. Both Skye Bridge Limited and Miller Dywidag are VAT registered.

Tobacco Advertising

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8264 by Susan Deacon on 25 July 2000, what plans it has to ban tobacco advertising following the European Court of Justice’s recent annulment of the Directive 98/43/EC on tobacco advertising, and whether any new legislation in this area will address the issues of brand-stretching and point of sale advertising.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive remains committed to introducing a ban on tobacco advertising. The decision by the European Court of Justice means that we can no longer proceed, as proposed, to effect a ban through the introduction of Scottish Regulations under the European Communities Act 1972. Sensibly we can take only limited action in this area in isolation from the rest of the UK. We are in discussion with other UK Health Departments over the best means to effect a ban.

  It is anticipated that any domestic legislation would substantially cover the measures contained in the Directive 98/43/EC, including brand-stretching and point of sale advertising.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has power to give the British Tourist Authority (BTA) directions and guidance regarding the marketing of Scotland abroad; if so, whether it has given any such directions or guidance and, in particular, whether it has given the BTA any instructions regarding the promotion of Scotland as an arrival and gateway destination for the rest of the UK.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive does not have any direct influence on BTA operational matters. These are for the organisation itself to determine. The BTA is required to work closely with the Scottish Tourist Board. The two boards have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding, which sets out what each will do to promote Scotland overseas. Scotland benefits from BTA activity in 27 primary markets overseas.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many tourists arrive directly in Scotland from the USA and Canada each year, in total and broken down by the airport of arrival, and what proportion of the total number of tourists arriving in the UK from the USA and Canada each of these figures represents.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The last year for which information is available is 1998. It is as follows:

  


Entry


USA visitors


as a % of tourists 
arriving in the UK from USA


Canadian visitors


as a % of tourists 
arriving in the UK from Canada




Edinburgh Airport


13,000


3%


4,000


3%




Glasgow Airport


109,000


23%


68,000


50%

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will describe the mechanism through which the British Tourist Authority is accountable to the Scottish Parliament and whether it will list the occasions on which it has laid reports relating to the British Tourist Authority (BTA) before the Parliament or taken any other action relating to the accountability of the BTA to the Parliament since 1 July 1999.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is designated as a cross-border public authority by an Order in Council made under section 88 of the Scotland Act 1998. Section 88 specifies the requirements on cross-border public authorities relating to accountability to the Scottish Parliament. The BTA laid its Annual Report and Accounts for 1999-2000 before the Scottish Parliament on 23 October 2000. The Scottish Executive have been consulted about appointments to the board of the BTA.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Sign Language

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer why the contract (no. TP0/00/01) with Edinburgh and the East of Scotland Deaf Society to provide sign language/deaf awareness training to the Scottish Parliament for a two-year period from 4 April 2000 has not yet been put into effect and what urgent action the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will take to start this training.

Sir David Steel: This contract was primarily awarded to provide sign language training, on a voluntary basis, to members, their staff and the parliamentary staff. Unfortunately, to date, there has been insufficient demand to run a course on signing in-house, but we have supported a member of staff through the successful completion of both Stage 1 and 2 of the BSL course at evening classes. We expect shortly to have sufficient numbers to arrange a course in-house. The contract was also awarded in anticipation of the need to provide deaf awareness training as part of our equal opportunities initiative to be launched early in the New Year.